It was incredible story of perseverance and survival out of Australia last week.

On Tuesday, Sam Derry-Woodhead of the United Kingdom had been jogging in Upshot Station, a cattle ranch located near Longreach Australia, when he got lost. The 18-year-old had been there as a novice cowboy (known as a “jackaroo” in Australia).

Derr-Woodhead survived for three days in the blazing sun by drinking his contact lens fluid and his own urine. When rescuers found him, he was badly sunburned and had lost over 30 pounds.

“We just happened to see him as he was crossing a clearing,” said rescuer Alex Wright. “He’s been dehydrated. Everything about him, all of his features, looked very sunken.”

A helicopter picked up Derr-Woodhead and when he was aboard, he asked for a popsicle.

Claire Derry, the mother of the runner, had expected the worst when she was informed that rescuers had winched her son to safety.